Looking for rewards credit card advice

[bclizzle]

Looking for a recommendation... I have a chase freedom, and i like it. That's my primary card. I also did the southwest last year and got the 50k miles bonus. However, im not really getting much out of that card, and i dont fly a ton. Ideally id like to start earning some hotel points. Marriot or starwood, especially since they merged. I don't stay at a lot of hotels... but at least a couple of times a year, and i am getting married and plan on doing a honeymoon in Santorini next fall, would love to have some points to use then. Can anyone recommend something for me?

[HundredK]

I personally have always used the American Express rewards card. Then you're not limited as to what you can spend the points on or who you spend it with. I've gotten so much free airfare and hotels. Dollar for dollar, I don't know if that's your absolute best bet, but the ease of using the points and everything about it has always worked great for me. You pay a fee of course - we've always been fine with the Gold level, but I have friends who are very happy with the Platinum level as well.

[DaveInPgh]

Check out NerdWallet's list of Best Cards

https://www.nerdwallet.com/the-best-credit-cards?nw_campaign_id=147225285968790200&utm_source=di&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=cc_mktg_paid_102016_top10hp&utm_term=682&utm_content=a2&mkt_img=694&mkt_hline=2924&VariantID=316&GUID=qgA4LuTV

[Eagle]

We have the American Express Preferred Blue Card with gives us 6% on groceries, 3% cash back on gas, and 1% on everything else. There is a yearly fee. But we more than make up for that. Last year alone we got over $500 in rewards we used to get gift cards.

https://www.americanexpress.com/us/content/credit-cards/cash-back-cards/

We also have the Amazon Chase card which gives us 3% cash back on all Amazon purchases, 2% cash back on restaurants, 2% on gas, and 1% on everything else. This one doesn't have a yearly fee. This is very useful to us since we buy a lot in bulk (diapers, wipes, canned goods, etc.) on Amazon through Amazon Prime.

https://www.chase.com/credit-cards/amazon/amazon-home

[mo0n]

I have IHG, Marriott, and Hyatt reward credit cards. These all come in handy for me because of the initial bonus points, and the one free night a year (even though you pay a yearly fee, the free night offsets it by a wide margin.)

IHG offers a free night at any hotel once a year. Yearly fee of $49

Marriott offers a free night in categories 1-5. Yearly fee of $85 (used it in Buffalo, NY at a Courtyard Marriott which goes for at least $230 a night)

Hyatt, same thing as Marriott, but their initial offer for two free nights are good at any hotel. Yearly fee of $75.

All these come in handy for me because I'm guaranteed at least one adventure vacation a year, and I can accrue points because of travel for work. This past September I took a six day trek around NY with my BFF, and all the hotels were on points or free nights. It saved us close to a grand in hotel costs, which was awesome.

[scfr]

i am getting married and plan on doing a honeymoon in Santorini next fall, would love to have some points to use then. Can anyone recommend something for me?

Are there chain hotels at your destination that appeal to you? If so, choose a few of those hotels. Then research reward cards for those hotel chains. Look not only at points earned but also sign-up bonuses. The Doctor of Credit web site is a good one for researching card bonuses.

Be sure to take the annual fee, if any, in to consideration.

[bclizzle]

great info here. I have some research to do. Thanks for the replies. I know there is a starwood property there. Not too many chains in Santorini

[disneysteve]

We love our Marriott card. We've had it for years and have taken many free trips as a result. As noted, it has an annual fee but the free night they give you each year is worth more than the cost of the fee so that's a non-issue.

One thing to keep in mind with any hotel rewards card, though, is to not be blindly loyal to that chain when making reservations. Always shop around. Sometimes we're able to get a Marriott property at a competitive rate. Other times, Marriott is a bit more but when we factor in the value of the reward points, we still go with the Marriott. And other times, the prices are just so divergent that it makes no sense to choose the Marriott despite the rewards.

[97guns]

citicard cashback flat rate of 2% on everything, i prefer cashback rather than being forced to buy something with the rewards. i used my orbitz card before this one and did enjoy using the rewards to save on travel

[disneysteve]

citicard cashback flat rate of 2% on everything, i prefer cashback rather than being forced to buy something with the rewards.

I know this is all just mental arithmetic but when I get cashback, it just goes into our account along with all other money and it doesn't feel special or extra in any way.

Hotel reward points, though, feel like I'm actually getting something for free. I just booked a couple of free nights last week and it's more tangible to me than saying, "Oh, I got $100 in cashback a few months ago so I'll say that those dollars are what I'm using for this hotel stay."

Again, it's just a mental thing so you need to do it the way that works best for you.